HERITAGE FEST 2016 INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS STORY TELLING-KRISHNA BOOK Page 1 HERITAGE FEST 2016 STORY TELLING FROM KRISHNA BOOK INDEX Story 1: The Advent of Lord Krishna Story 2: Putana Killed Story 3: The Salvation of Trinavarta Story 4: Mother Yashoda binds Lord Krishna Story 5: The Deliverance of Nalakuvara and Manigriva Story 6: Killing the Demons Vatsasura and Bakasura Story 7: The Killing of the Aghasura Demon Story 8: The Killing of Dhenukasura Story 9: Subduing Kaliya Story 10: Killing the Demon Pralambasura Story 11: Delivering the wives of the Brahmanas who performed sacrifices Story 12: Releasing Nanda Maharaja from the Clutches of Varuna Story 13: Vidyadhara Liberated and the Demon Shankhachuda Killed Story 14: Killing the Keshi Demon and Vyomasura Story 15: Krishna Recovers the son of His Teacher Story 16: The Deliverance of Muchukunda Story 17: The Story of the Syamantaka Jewel Story 18: The Deliverance of the Demon Bhaumasura Story 19: Lord Krishna fights with Banasura Story 20: The Story of King Nriga Story 21: The Deliverance of Paundraka and the King of Kashi STORY TELLING-KRISHNA BOOK Page 2 HERITAGE FEST 2016 Story 22: The Liberation of King Jarasandha Story 23: The Deliverance of Shishupala Story 24: The Brahmana Sudama Blessed by Lord Krishna Story 25: The Deliverance of Lord Shiva STORY TELLING-KRISHNA BOOK Page 3 HERITAGE FEST 2016 STORY TELLING-KRISHNA BOOK Story 1: The Advent of Lord Krishna Once upon a time, the earth was troubled by the unnecessary military forces of various kings who were actually demons. There were disasters on earth. Assuming the form of a cow, Bhumi (earth) appeared before Lord Brahma with tears in her eyes to relate this situation. Hearing this, Lord Brahma, taking Bhumi and all the demigods, headed by Lord Shiva, proceeded towards the ocean of milk, where Lord Vishnu resides. Lord Vishnu sensing the problem, conveyed to Lord Brahma that The Supreme Personality of Godhead would appear on the earth very soon and that all the demigods should immediately take birth in the family of the Yadu dynasty. Meanwhile, Vasudeva, who was the son of Shurasena, leader of the Yadu dynasty, was returning home on his chariot along with Devaki whom he had just married. His chariot was driven by Kamsa, son of Ugrasena and also the brother of Devaki. Suddenly there was an alien voice from the sky announcing that the eighth child of Devaki would kill Kamsa. Upon hearing this prophecy, Kamsa immediately caught hold of Devaki’s hair and was about to kill her with his sword. Trying to save Devaki, Vasudeva said, “If there are any sons born of her, I promise that I shall present all of them to you.” Kamsa was warned by Narada Muni earlier, to be careful as the demigods were taking birth in different families on earth. This alerted Kamsa to the fact that, Lord Vishnu would be coming soon too. He had both Vasudeva and Devaki put in prison. Each year, Devaki gave birth to a child and Kamsa would kill it. When Devaki became pregnant for the seventh time, a plenary expansion of Lord Krishna known as Ananta Shesha appeared within her womb. Yogamaya, the principal potency of the supremely powerful Personality of Godhead, transferred Lord Ananta Shesha from the womb of Devaki to the womb of Rohini, one of Vasudeva’s wives. By this arrangement, Krishna would appear in the womb of Devaki as her son with His full potencies and Yogamaya would appear as the daughter of Nanda and Yashoda in Vrindavana. Accordingly, a daughter was born to Nanda and Yashoda. She was Yogamaya, the internal potency of the Lord, by whose influence, all the residents of Kamsa’s palace, were overcome with deep sleep, and all the palace doors opened. Though it was a dark night, when Vasudeva carried Lord Krishna and went out, he could see everything just as in the sunlight. Vasudeva crossed the river Yamuna and went to the palace of Nanda Maharaja, situated in Gokula. He silently entered the house of Yashoda, and exchanged his son with the baby girl newly born in the house of Yashoda. Then he returned to the prison of Kamsa and silently put the girl on the lap of Devaki. He again clamped the chains on himself so that Kamsa would not come to know of his activities. Thus, the Supreme Lord was transferred from Kamsa’s prison to the safety of the house of Nanda Maharaja. STORY TELLING-KRISHNA BOOK Page 4 HERITAGE FEST 2016 Story 2: Putana Killed Once, Kamsa instructed a witch named Putana to kill all children in the cities, villages and pastures. Putana entered Gokula, the residence of Nanda Maharaja, without permission. Dressed as a beautiful woman, she entered the house of mother Yashoda. Because of her lovely beauty, no one stopped her. Putana, the killer of many, many children, found baby Sri Krishna lying on a small bed, and she could at once make out that the baby was hiding His powers, which resembled fire covered by ashes. Putana thought, “This child is so powerful that He can destroy the whole universe immediately.” When Putana was taking baby Krishna on her lap, both Yashoda and Rohini were present, but they did not prevent her because she was so beautifully dressed, and showed motherly affection towards Krishna. They could not understand that she was a sword within a decorated case. Putana wanted to poison baby Krishna with her milk and kill Him. She had killed so many babies before meeting Krishna, and she mistook Him to be like them, but baby Krishna sucked the milk-poison along with the life air of the demon. As Krishna sucked out her very breath, Putana fell down on the ground, spreading her arms and legs. As she died screaming, there was a great vibration on the earth and in the sky, and people thought that thunderbolts were falling. Thus the nightmare of the Putana witch was over, and she assumed her real feature as a demon. Her fallen body extended up to twelve miles and smashed all the trees to pieces, and everyone was struck with wonder upon seeing this gigantic body. When the gopis saw little Krishna fearlessly playing on Putana’s lap, they quickly came and picked Him up. Mother Yashoda, Rohini and other gopis performed the auspicious rituals by taking the tail of a cow and circumambulating His body. After this, all the residents of Vraja piled Putana’s body with wood for burning. When Putana’s body was burning, the smoke emanating from the fire created a nice fragrance. This fragrance was due to her being killed by Krishna. This means that the demon Putana was washed of all her sinful activities and attained a celestial body. Here is an example of how the Supreme Personality of Godhead is all-good: Putana came to kill Krishna, but she was immediately purified and attained salvation because she gave her milk to Him to drink. So what can be said of those who are affectionate to Krishna in the relationship of mother, who with great love and affection render service to Him, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the Supersoul of every living entity? STORY TELLING-KRISHNA BOOK Page 5 HERITAGE FEST 2016 Story 3: The Salvation of Trinavarta Krishna’s first birthday was celebrated by everybody. All the cowherd men and women were invited to participate in the jubilant celebration. A nice band played, and the assembled people enjoyed it. And shortly after this, one day, when mother Yashoda was patting her baby on her lap, the baby felt too heavy, and being unable to carry Him, she unwillingly placed Him on the ground. After a while, she became engaged in housework. At that time, a servant of Kamsa’s known as Trinavarta, as instructed by Kamsa, appeared there in the shape of a whirlwind. He picked the child up on his shoulders and raised a great dust storm all over Vrindavana, covering everyone’s eyes. Within a few moments the whole area of Vrindavana became so densely dark that no one could see each other. During this period, mother Yashoda could not see her baby, who was taken away by the whirlwind, and she began to cry. When mother Yashoda was so sadly crying, all the cowherd women immediately came and began to look for the baby, but were disappointed when they could not find Him. The Trinavarta demon went high into the sky with baby Krishna on his shoulder, but the baby assumed such a weight that suddenly he could not go any further, and he had to stop his whirlwind activities. Baby Krishna made Himself heavy and began to weigh down the demon, catching hold of his neck. Trinavarta felt the baby to be as heavy as a big mountain, and he tried to get out of His clutches, but he was unable to do so, and his eyes popped. Crying very fiercely, he fell to the ground of Vrindavana. The demon fell exactly like Tripurasura, who was pierced by the arrow of Lord Shiva. He hit a stone slab and died immediately. His body became visible to all the inhabitants of Vrindavana. When the gopis saw the demon killed and child Krishna very happily playing on his body, they immediately picked Krishna up with great affection. The cowherd men and women became very happy to get back their beloved child Krishna. The demon had taken away the child to devour Him but could not do so; instead he fell down dead.